Allegiant considering international service at GSP airport

Date: June 11, 2013

Time:

Location: GSA Business

The Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport is being considered as a location for Allegiant Air to offer international services.

Allegiant is considering direct flights to the Caribbean and several Mexican cities, particularly Cancun, GSP President and CEO Dave Edwards said. GSP plans to add additional service to the Orlando/Sanford market in the future as well. GSP does not currently have any regularly scheduled international service.

GSP’s board and Allegiant representatives met earlier this year to discuss options. Allegiant has not made any decisions on where it would offer international services at this time.

“Until we’re ready to make an announcement, we have no speculation to share,” Allegiant spokesman Brian Davis said. “We, as a company, have been very transparent about our desires to begin international flying sometime in 2014, but we have not identified any specific routes.”

Allegiant has an agreement to acquire eight additional Airbus A319 aircrafts and nine Airbus A320 aircrafts throughout 2013 and the beginning of 2014, according to its website. These aircrafts will better equip the airline for longer flights, Edwards said.

“The delivery of aircraft opens up opportunities for us,” Edwards said. “GSP is very well poised to compete for that international service as we have federal inspection facilities for international flights, where many airports our size do not.”

Allegiant began offering service at GSP in 2006. It currently offers service from GSP to four locations in Florida, including: Orlando/Sanford, Tampa/St. Petersburg, Fort Myers/Punta Gorda and Fort Lauderdale.

Allegiant offers service nationwide to the four locations in Florida, in addition to Honolulu and Maui, Hawaii; Las Vegas; Los Angeles, Palm Springs, San Diego and San Francisco/Oakland, Calif.; Myrtle Beach; and Phoenix/Mesa, Ariz.